Dear Staff and Students,
As we come to the final month of spring, we hope this email finds you well and happy 😊
Happy Spring wishes from YES!🌼
This month’s newsletter highlights a very British tradition: afternoon tea, and includes some updates about recent and future school events, student graduations, and an important announcement regarding school bank holiday closures.
Plus, don’t miss our write-in question to share your thoughts!
Let’s go!
Student Graduations!
Congratulations to Maria, who recently graduated from her Intermediate Course with her teacher, Gwyn, last month! 🧑🎓
Despite her short time with us, her sociable and vibrant personality made her a very special part of the YES family, and she will be greatly missed.
We look forward to seeing you back soon Maria! 😁
Another congratulations to Kasia, who recently completed her 20-hour online lesson package with her teacher, Rasha, last month! 🧑🎓
We are very happy to have been able to facilitate her preferred apporach of distance/ online learning.
We wish you all the best for the future, Kasia! 😊
YES Easter Event 2025
Thank you to all of the students and staff who attended and contributed to our YES Easter Egg Hunt and Egg Decorating Event on 11th April 2025.🥚🐰
A special thank you to Mariana, for making and bringing us some brigadeiros (a tasty treat from her home country of Brazil). 😋
This was a wonderful to chance to hunt, eat, chat, and have fun together! 🍫
You all made the event truly special, and we hope to see you at the next one! ♥️
Afternoon Tea:
A Very British Tradition
A time-honoured British tradition, afternoon tea always makes you feel classy and elegant.
Afternoon tea was first introduced in England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in the year 1840. She became hungry around four o’clock in the afternoon. The evening meal in her household was served at 8 o’clock, so there was a long time between lunch and dinner. She asked for a tray of tea, bread and butter (some time earlier, the Earl of Sandwich had had the idea of putting a filling between two slices of bread) and cake be brought to her room during the late afternoon. This became a habit of hers and she began inviting friends to join her. This pause for tea became a fashionable social event. During the 1880’s upper-class and society women would change into long dresses, gloves and hats for their afternoon tea.
Nowadays, although it’s called afternoon “tea”, it actually also includes a wide selection of savoury and sweet treats, filling you up as much as a full meal!
Expand your vocabulary with these words/ expressions related to afternoon tea:
- Brew (v.) 🫖
The action of adding hot water to tea leaves/bags or coffee grounds to get flavour and create a pot/ cup of tea/ coffee.
(informal, n.) In British English, “a brew” can be used to mean a cup of tea. (e.g. Would you like a brew?)
- Bitesized/ miniature (adj.) 🤏
An adjective used to describe the size of something which is small enough to eat in one “bite” (bitesize), or to describe something which is a very small version of something which is usually bigger (miniature). For example, for an afternoon tea, a variety of bitesized and miniature cakes are often served.
- Savoury (adj.) 🧂
Refers to foods that are salty or spicy (and not sweet). Often used to describe dishes that are not desserts, like main courses or starters.
- Finger sandwiches (n.) 🥪
Small, prepared sandwiches, cut into smaller, sometimes “bitesized” shapes, and designed to be eaten with one hand.
- Clotted cream (n.) 🥛
A thick, smooth, and buttery cream made by heating full-fat milk and then slowly cooling it, allowing the cream to rise to the surface and become thick.
- Preserves (n.) 🍓
Often used to describe fruits, vegetables, or other foods that have been cooked with sugar or other methods to extend their life. This can include jams, jellies, marmalades, and other sweet spreads.
- Scones (n.)
A “scone” is a small, usually round, soft cake, often baked in an oven, and traditionally served with butter, jam, and clotted cream.
Upcoming YESchool Event:
Afternoon Tea
To celebrate Spring as it comes to an end, and in anticipation of Summer, all staff and students at YES are invited to a special Afternoon Tea!
Please see details below:
Date: Friday 9th May
Time: 2.30 pm
Place: Northern Tea House, Huddersfield
Cost: £10 (normal price: £19.95)
Please RSVP/ contact reception by the end of today, Friday 2nd May if you would like to attend. Please also let us know if you have any dietary requirements or allergies.
We hope to see you there for an afternoon of elegance!
Film Suggestion of the Month:
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
This musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale includes the iconic Mad Hatter’s tea party, a playful and “mad” (crazy) scene that captures the fun spirit of a tea party.
Language Learning Tips:
For Lower Levels: Watch with English audio, and subtitles in your 1st language.
For Higher Levels: Watch in English, with English subtitles.
Announcement: School Holidays
Please be aware that the school will be closed for the following bank holidays:
- Early May Bank Holiday on Monday 5th May (classes resume as usual on Tuesday 6th May)
- Spring Bank Holiday on Monday 26th May (classes resume as usual on Tuesday 27th May)
We encourage students and staff to enjoy these long weekends and spend time outdoors celebrating the season!
Talk to us!
Question of the Month
We want to hear from you! Feel free to write your answer in English and send it to us at info@yeschool.uk (or drop it off at reception). We’ll share some of the best answers in next month’s newsletter!
Tea, along with many different possible accompaniments ranging from the simple biscuit to scones to a full afternoon tea, is a much-loved enjoyment in the UK, and an important part of British culture and cuisine (as in many other countries too).
Question:
What is your favourite snack to have with tea? Do you have anything similar to “afternoon tea” in your country?
You can also write a message and see all previous issues of our Newsletter on our YES Blog.
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for interesting and exciting content!
Last Month’s Question:
Question:
What is your favourite season, and why?
Student Write-In (Dilan- Turkiye):
“My favourite season is spring. I love spring because I believe it represents new beginnings. Flowers start to bloom, trees turn to green again, and the sun begins to shine more often. I like to feel a little bit cold when the sun shines, it is perfect for spending time outside. Everything feels fresh and full of life. For me, spring is a good reminder that good things can start again. Because of this, most people tend to fall in love in spring.” 🌱🌼
Student Write-In (Turki– Saudi Arabia):
“I like the summer. It is my favourite season. In summer you can go on a picnic, and it is not cold.” ☀️🏖️
Student Write-In (Maryam– Libya):
“My favourite season is spring because the flowers are blooming. It is not cold and not hot. It is warm.” 🌱🌼
Staff Write-In (Abbi):
“My favourite season is winter, I love the freshness of the cold air (without any rain or it is not as enjoyable), being wrapped up warm. I love seeing snow crystals sparkle under the sunshine and the colours dancing on the snow and ice skating is a lot of fun. I love being able to enjoy the satisfaction of having hot beverages, I love Mint Hot Chocolate and a lovely roaring fire of course with a good book. And of course for myself, this is one of the only times I get the opportunity to see family in the year so it holds a special place in my heart.” ❄️☃️
Staff Write-In (Gwyn):
“My favourite season is autumn- I love seeing the colours and leaves change.”🍂🍁
Instagram Write-In (anonymous):
“My favourite season is summer, because it’s warm and sunny so I go to the beach and enjoy swimming.”☀️🏖️
